Does consuming part of yourself sound out of this world to you? Would you be surprised to learn that women have been consuming their placenta for centuries? And not just women—many species consume the placenta after childbirth. Placentophagy, or the act of eating the placenta, is as natural as it is a widespread practice both among humans and the animal world. So why in the world should women contemplate having their placentas encapsulated? Well, the placenta contains two important components: prostaglandin and oxytocin. Prostaglandin can help the uterus contract to its pre-pregnancy size, while oxytocin can help regulate mood. Although early cultures prepared the placenta in stews or even ate it raw, modern technological advances have allowed the placenta to be encapsulated.

Whew! Having endured the recovery from a c-section, you may be looking for a different route to deliver your next child. Cesarean sections involve a great deal more than vaginal births—from the drugs to the body's healing process, c-sections are a major surgical procedure. If you previously delivered a child by cesarean and are interested in a vaginal birth for your next child, you may be wondering if VBAC, or Vaginal Birth After Cesarean, is safe. In most cases to this question, the answer is yes. Numerous current studies support the safety of VBACs when properly supported by medical professionals.

I was aware of you almost immediately. A week after you were conceived, I felt the telltale ache in my breasts when I hugged your daddy or picked up your brother. I knew I was pregnant, but Daddy was skeptical. We worked very hard for a long time to get pregnant with your brother and this was our first try at a second baby. Daddy thought it couldn’t be so easy.

Last September, I labored for over a day and a half at home, in the hopes of having a peaceful water birth surrounded by my family and birthing team. Unfortunately, I had to be transferred to the hospital but wonderful home water births happen all the time. Please take a moment and watch these two home water birth videos as inspiration for your own empowering birth experience.
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According to new research by Yale scientists, it appears that natural labor and vaginal birth trigger the expression of genes that produce mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2v (UCP2) in mice, a protein critical for proper development and functioning of neurons.

Many women prefer giving birth in a pool of warm water in order to reduce the pain associated with labor. Water births are also called aquadurals because of the sense of weightlessness and relaxation created. Relaxed muscles reduce labor pains and help a woman more fully enjoy the birthing process, two reasons many midwives and doulas encourage women to consider water births as an alternative to medical pain relief.

After 36 hours of natural labor at home, I wanted an epidural. In fact, even my midwife wanted it for me, in the hopes that it would help me dilate that last little bit. Apparently, when a laboring mom is very tired, pain relief can help the cervix continue to dilate.